


MudBoy

by Sawadoot



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Gen, another siblings au, gays rule this city now, ken is forced to learn the difference between teenage asshole and ultimate asshole, updates Sunday evenings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-18 00:20:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17570714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sawadoot/pseuds/Sawadoot
Summary: The card tower falls not necessarily in order, but anyone could lie trapped beneath it. (Hiatus)





	1. With A Good Polishing He Could Shine!

**Author's Note:**

> its lot of worldbuilding and idea testing

Tsuna wakes up to another loss of breath, another pillow pressing against his face, pushing him far into the sheets when a state of panic. He can't breathe. “Get up! I'm tired of having to do this every morning I have a club.” He peeks beyond the pillow, now lacking pressure, to once more see the disgruntled face of his ‘older’ brother. Hair neatly brushed although it has subtle cowlicks here and there. He looks like someone who drank a lot of coffee but can never wake up again.

 

He also looks like someone who's about to smack Tsuna silly, so he falls on his face trying to get up, morning struggles Tsuna muses with a twinge of pain in his ankle. Kensuke has zero sympathies for him or patience, and Tsuna knows that very well watching the tense set of shoulders evident past his doorway. Shit. Did Ken take anything? Did he snoop around? As far as Tsuna can tell nothing is misplaced. In its usual organized chaos but still just as he'd left it before bed, the dull whine of an alarm reminds him about getting ready for school and honestly, why not die? Mr. Handsome and Successful can be an only child like he's always wanted.

 

Or so he says when he thinks Tsuna isn't listening on the way to empty the classroom trash bin.

 

Truth is Ken’s distaste for his younger brother (by a handful of months) is thinly veiled at best, and anyone within a five-foot radius would know that he prides himself on being the best but also prides Tsuna on being the worst as if he counts on it like clockwork every day for his brother to fuck up somehow. Who is Tsuna to disappoint? He's plenty good at disappointing.

 

Well, whatever, those things don't matter to him anyhow because Tsuna sometimes dreams of shooting stars and painted ladies who whisper he has a worth even if he doesn't believe it.

 

Things hadn't been this shaky before. They got along better when they were younger, dare say Ken was even kind to him. Standing up and saying Tsuna can't help but be weak but that's why he has an older brother to protect him. And then things changed. They were nine years old. Nana sent Ken into the office to find a document while on an urgent phone call and naturally Tsuna tagged along. He never understood it at the time, but that's the reason why Tsuna believes there's still something kind in his brother, even if he is nice to everybody except his brother. Which he's accepted is a product of being a failure.

 

Tsuna likes the library. He's never had great English grades, but he loves novels, fictions about adventures and tales and quiet endings that never happened within the Sawada household. Things that never lead to pounding doors at three in the morning. Also, considered generally dull unless you're a bookworm or studying, which luckily, not many people study directly after school. There's a beat up wicker chair in the far corner. Its white paint chipped, and there are a few straw pieces broken in half or loosely hanging. It's perfect. He always brings over five books and hardly finishes one, but it's a great place to get lost in thought. It's funny that despite his aversion to studying the library quells Tsuna's constant state of anxiety.

 

It's rising more and more lately. Something is going to happen. But there isn't time for that in light of avoiding tormentors, flunking classes, and scribbling down a smattering of writing that will never ever see the light of day. He isn't good at writing novels, but they could be fun. Tsuna doesn't want to let anyone down though.

 

Cue the curious baby all spiffed up and sitting cross-legged on his bed after school on Wednesday afternoon. And, boy, is he gussied with the expensive looking suit (toddler sized) and shiny leather shoes. (Also toddler sized.) He must be lost. There is no third Sawada child, and dare says Tsuna would be horrified if there were. His big, unblinking coal eyes and smug grin seem almost too devious for someone barely the age of two or three. Those sideburns are cool though, how does he get them to stay? “Don't touch what you can't afford.” Tsuna’s hand wrenches away from a curl sheepishly and astonished. Quite the well-versed vocabulary for a little guy. “Uh?” Smooth move, Tsuna, show your intellect by making dying whale noises from the base of your throat.

 

“Good afternoon, Tsuna.” Little Boss Man says, standing up on his super short legs and offering a business card? It's anyone's guess, to Tsuna's surprise. It's fine print on a laminated card with gold lettering and not the crayon scribbles he was expecting. He's shocked into silence. Talking is more Ken's deal anyway so he can have that. “Good afternoon… Reborn-san?” See, the card _does_ say Reborn, Home Tutor, but he's not aware of any in-home tutor coming over much less an infant with gold cufflinks who smells strongly of aftershave and gunpowder. Most infants reek of baby powder instead and drool. So Tsuna must be worse at reading than he initially thought, this doesn't make any sense? He looks from the card to Reborn several times to make sure.

 

“I'm your home tutor starting today,” Reborn merely explains as if he's said nothing out of the ordinary and doesn't reach Tsuna's kneecaps in height. He pulls out a notebook and a fountain pen; those things are pricey, writing down god knows what for god knows who.

 

“You must have the wrong house? See I don't have a tutor.”

 

“Yeah,” A pen click. “That's because I just become your tutor. Weren't you listening? Don't be dumb.”

 

Uh. Uh-huh. Tsuna makes the wisest decision he's made in a while. “Mooooooom!” When Tsuna flings his door back open it's Reborn standing there when he could've sworn the baby was right there behind him a moment prior. “We'll need to work on your speed, crybaby Tsuna.” That's all he hears before a smarting pain rings his ears. Reborn had promptly boxed them red, self-satisfied with the cringe on his new student. “Mama hired me to improve your grades, Tsuna, and let's see if we can't improve your reflexes in the process.” Wait, wait, wait!

 

“I don't need help.” Reborn pinches his cheeks so hard the hurt.

 

“Of course you don't. That's why your last Math test was a seven. Relax, kid; I'm not going to invade your life too much. Yet.” _Yet, what the fuck does yet mean?!_

 

“You're clearly not much of a talker and that works well for me so I'll get to work unpacking and we can go over your current study skill before dinner. Move that dresser won't you?” All Tsuna can do is gape. Swallow a few flies, move the dresser almost robotically left, and stumble downstairs to ask Nana what the hell is in their house now. Apart from the weird traveler last week who Tsuna is sure took some ‘souvenirs’ along the way.

 

Nana laughs and says it's fantastic because free live-in tutor specials don't happen every day and she's very grateful for the opportunity to see his grades skyrocket. She's off her rocker, and it has to be some kind of scam, nothing like that ever comes for free! How do you win a contest you never entered? The point is lost on Nana who squarely faces him and says, “I'm tired of this depressed attitude, Reborn-san will be staying here and helping you to better your grades. Who knows maybe you'll learn to love life!” Highly unlikely but there's no convincing Nana once she’s got an idea into her head. She has planted but a scammer nonetheless. This is worse than that article about how salt reduces brain cells by fifty-percent, a number pulled out of their ass, and Nana set on not salting things for months until she realized she couldn't entirely avoid it in canned foods and such.

 

There's no wiggling out of this one. Ken's going to lose his shit, and it's going to be Tsuna's fault once more because it's never anyone else's.

 

But the first time Reborn whacks him over the head with a tiny fist Tsuna decides he doesn't care and would instead focus on solving mathematical equations than what the eldest is going to bitch about. A few more whacks and he knows he's going to have permanent brain damage. “So why are you really here?” Tsuna dares to ask when they're on Vocabulary and Nana is busying herself with making dinner downstairs. Ken is at practice again, but he should be home shortly. Either way, he'll ignore Tsuna, and that'll be that if it's a good day. There's no way a home tutor would live-in free unless they were that desperate. And judging by Reborn's high fashion taste finances are hardly the case.

 

“Insightful. Finally, I think I can make good work of you as Nono asked.” What's a Nono? “I'm here to make you the next generation tenth of the Vongola. The Decimo to be precise, and you don't have a choice because the other candidates are dead.” Reborn speaks as if they're discussing a flat tire instead of a Tenth Vongola thingy?

 

“Other candidates?”

 

“They're dead.” Blunt, makes Tsuna want to curl up and die. He's about to. “Tsuna you're the only living direct descendant of our founder besides your dumb Dad. And you're going to be the boss of it. Welcome to the mafia kid. Anyway, I want you to review these two pages tomorrow I expect some kind of improvement even if a sentence.” Wait. Tsuna’s head is spinning so fast he feels like throwing up. A mafia boss? Him? Worst of all that means Iemitsu is a mobster? Granted he thought Iemitsu was dead for a greater part of his childhood. And now this baby clad in Gothic is showing up at their home, teaching him advanced math, and claiming to be part of a crime organization known worldwide. “Can I laugh?”

 

“No, you can't. Next page.” At the mercy of a trigger, Tsuna has no choice but to comply. The incentive is making it out of this goddamn situation alive. There's no way his oiler not-quite-so-dead of a Father is some powerful crime syndicate. That would explain the checks though.

 

He shudders just thinking about it. Until Reborn smacks him so roughly that his brain could be sloshing around, that's if he hasn't already killed what little brain cells are left. “What the fuck?”

 

“Watch it, kid. Pay attention to your work. As I said start from page fifty-four.” Reborn’s apathetic tone can really bring one into the severity of things. Thus he takes up a pencil and rapidly begins scribbling away before his skull turns black and blue.

 

A mafioso? What a joke.


	2. Compromise

Ken doesn't think much of the situation at home. The more you avoid a problem, the easier it is to overlook there being anything there. And boy, there are no words to explain how much he doesn't care for Tsuna. Maybe, once, but where standing concerned his brother could easily re-assert himself into a position compromising Ken's own and he can't have that.

 

Aside from that, Mom hired a home tutor, or so she said the moment he stepped inside, gym bag rattling behind himself and shoes placed out of the way, one over another. Or the tutor was free? Something stupid and highly scammy like that.

 

He usually doesn't care much for what others are doing because as long as everything still works out for himself then what could be wrong? However, the relative murmur of voices upstairs catch his attention, and it isn't considered eavesdropping unless you get caught. Ken never gets found.

 

It's not hard to make out what they're saying, Tsuna’s voice high and squeaky, the tutor sounds suspiciously young though. Maybe the guy is still in college? Judging by the way his voice drops the conversation must be getting serious, does that mean his grades suck that much? Ken feels gleeful just thinking about it.

 

And then he catches his name, twice.

 

“Ken would be much better suited than I am at this whole boss business, he's more of a type A leader.” Is that a jab? Is Tsuna insulting him right now?

 

“It can only be you, Tsuna. You're Vongola Primo's descendant by blood.” The childlike voice replies in more seriousness than any normal conversation would hold. Blood. It's always about that. Are you even related? Are you sure? Is blood thicker than water isn't it? Just thinking about him a white knuckles grip settles on the straps of his gym bag.

 

“Nuh-uh! I already told you I don't wanna do it!” Oh, so he's pushing off the responsibility on Ken? Tsuna would later deny it although he was doing precisely that, somewhat. There's a distinct wrinkle his nose makes when he doesn't want to do something or eats something bitter. 

 

Except it's Ken, who feels as if he's eaten a whole vine of sour grapes, his senses numbing into a fit of familiar all-encompassing anger. It's the emotion that takes over when Ken isn't sure what to do or feel because it knows him best. Better than anyone, therefore he's continuously angry at a great many things.

 

Unable to stand another second of this the door to Tsuna's room is flung crashing against the wall behind it. And Ken’s about ready to go off entirely when the sight of a literal  _ baby,  _ sitting there, snuggled beneath the  _ Kotatsu _ in a little suit and tie.  _ “You're  _ the tutor?!” Tsuna is so lame he needs a literal fucking two-year-old to teach him, this is glorious!

 

_ “Ciassou, _ Sawada Kensuke! You're right on time.” The baby doesn't seem too concerned with the subtle hole in the wall or Ken's previously angered expression. Reborn does his research.

 

“Who are you? You're like, two?” Sure, this is Tsuna’s room but for the time being as far as Ken's concerned it's his because he's the one standing in it ready to confront a toddler.

 

“I'm the Home Tutor Reborn! I'm talking to Tsuna right now, so if you could leave and submit all questions in writing later, that would be necessary.” Reborn says without batting an eye nor getting up from his comfortable spot. Why bother? Unfortunately, as predicted, that only causes Ken to stay right where he is instead of politely excusing himself. Someone has guts.

 

“No way! This is  _ my  _ house kid, and like hell, you have anything important enough to convey to Tsuna, lame joke!” Instinct tells him to run; pride tells him he's staying right where he is. Reborn’s foot makes a choice for him sending him flying into the hallway with an unnerved screech.

 

_ “Ciao!”  _ The door slams closed leaving both siblings slack-jawed from opposite sides of the door.

 

“I-is- do you think that'll be okay?” Tsuna's concerns might as well have raised to empty air. 

 

“Nope,” Reborn settles back underneath the  _ kotatsu _ for a nap. “What's on TV?” The remote goes flying across the room, and Tsuna can't bring himself to complain when an infant is holding him hostage.

* * *

  
  
  


Dinner was strained last night to say the bare minimum. Tsuna  _ knows for a fact  _ Ken is probably plotting his revenge today. He'll never understand why Ken acts as he does, but it's best to lay low at times like these especially since that ridiculous ‘Home Tutor’ pulled a stunt that involved physically forcing Ken to clean the dishes by smacking him with a plastic spatula while Mom was in the other room doing something or other.

 

Tsuna was smacked too because he accidentally put the container lid haphazardly on the leftovers. Needless to say, he'll never forget again.

 

Well, whatever, another problem for another day that doesn't involve unnecessary teasing or lower marks on abysmal papers because the teachers don't want to help understand the material.

 

What he doesn't expect is to be plucked mid-class by a said tutor and spend a good twenty minutes arguing by the outdoor sinks with a baby who isn't even three feet tall. And yet, here they are, Reborn toeing the edge of the tub with the grace of a  _ Prima Donna  _ while Tsuna desperately tries and fails at getting his point across despite all the exaggerated hand motions he's making right now.

 

Maybe it would work better if Reborn cared.

 

“No training! I've already got my hands full with stuff, I can't take over a crime syndicate empire I'm fourteen, and I don't want to!” 

 

Does Reborn blink? “Too bad,” That baby sounds far too happy about this whole situation to be sorry. He isn't. Tsuna should have known that by now. “My job is to prepare you for your position as  _ Decimo, _ and yours is to shut up and train.”

 

“I'm fourteen!” Tsuna's shouts fall on deaf ears.

 

“No better time to learn!” Out comes a, please be plastic, a pistol that looks very real and very deadly and sends Tsuna scrambling across the schoolyard with a toddler on his heels shooting rubber bullets that hurt! Reborn is nothing but evil, curse Iemitsu's stupid genetics! If he doesn't meet his maker, then Tsuna is going to take him there himself.

 

“What are you doing?! Are you crazy, Reborn!” 

 

All around the schoolyard they go. He's late to his next class. Hibari-san nearly bites him for being tardy if it weren't for the barrage of rubber bullets pelting the left side of the lockers where Tsuna is skidding to make a speedy escape. Just as he rounds the corner, something like an explosion goes off. He says a quick prayer because if asked Tsuna still doesn't know who won that battle, he just hoped they didn't kill each other.

 

Thank you Hibari-san for your noble sacrifice.

 

Someone snatches him by the collar, nearly gagging him as he was lifted much like a kitten in a pet store, dangling helplessly from the scruff of his neck. The sheer terror of being grabbed has Tsuna flailing his limbs wildly, smacking whoever it was and the second he was released Tsuna booked it into his fully occupied classroom and all but leaped for his empty desk which has never looked so inviting before now.

 

(Later he learns that hitting a singed Kusakabe himself in the face isn't a good idea, especially when Reborn isn't there to fire more rubber bullets as a coincidental distraction and Hibari-san pissed. Reborn was caught drinking directly from the coffee pot.)

 

Minutes of heaving later, trying to wipe the sweat off his forehead and fix his rumpled uniform, it hits Tsuna that he's in a full classroom and the whole class including the teacher is dead fucking silent, staring at him.

 

“Sorry, I'm late.” He murmurs sheepishly, looking like he'd come from a brawl with Godzilla and some volcano god. He won't even bother explaining the burnt patches to Nana because then she'll accuse Tsuna of playing with matches or something stupid like that.

 

The teacher, Nikaido, clears his throat pointedly as if there's been a great offense laid upon this class. This homeroom class no one is going to remember in a couple of years. “If you're done playing hooky Sawada, there are more important things we're discussing now! For those who care about their grades, that is.” At the classrooms titter of accompanying giggles, Tsuna found it an excellent opportunity to study the desk for the rest of the lesson and pretend he doesn't exist. 

 

Pretty hard to when the teacher calls you out twice for not knowing answers.

 

The class gratefully ends when it does but Tsuna's day could never be complete without more than one event going entirely wrong. That is to say, not all of the bullets made of rubber.

 

Lunch proceeds without incident. So do the last few classes before the bell rings and signals the end of school. And when things are settling down while Tsuna crams several scribbles over papers into his school bag and one failed test that'll be a nice addition to his ever-growing shrine of failed exams, a little compartment opens up just beside his desk. On the floor. 

 

“Time for evening lessons, Tsuna.” Is all Reborn has to say; the gun does the rest for him. What with it glinting in the late afternoon sunlight and all that bullshit. 

 

He wakes up in front of Sasagawa Kyoko, at the school entrance getting ready to leave for home, in his underwear, and guessing by Sasagawa's awed face Tsuna is about to lose his limbs and whatever good reputation (the one percent) he has left. 

 

Fucking. Reborn.

 

“Um,” Kyoko's eyes glow purple as she grabs his hands impressively tight, nearly crushing them in her tight grip, holy shit!

 

“We're gonna be friends, Sawada-kun! Put some clothes on first though; if you're joking I'm going to be very mad, I'll smack you it won't be funny.” She's so deadly serious that Tsuna spends a good thirty seconds wracking his brain for what he did, what he said, nothing comes up, and that's even more terrifying than anything else in this school. Even Reborn.

 

What is he? A blackout drunk? “Huh?” Tsuna says stupidly, arms going slack with the rest of his body.

 

“What do you mean, “huh?” you asked the question yourself!” Kyoko is now looking irritated. That's not good because her older brother is popularly known as a well-liked boxer which means that either he'll be beating the shit out of Tsuna tonight, or Kyoko will be doing it herself. He scrambles quickly for some feint.

 

“I'm sorry I just, didn't hear your answer?” Smooth move, Tsuna. Real smart.

 

Kyoko gave him a funny look, that's not good. “I said, yeah, I'm gay too…” What the fuck was blackout drunk Tsuna asking their grades most popular girl huh? Christ, someone ought to monitor him at all times its event after event. It clicks,

 

“That's cool. That's really good.” He scrambles off to change into gym clothes, Kyoko watching him go a little shocked.

 

Sawada Tsunayoshi sure is a keeper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gestures vaguely

**Author's Note:**

> this is a mini-project motivating me to write! normally i'd just update whenever i feel like writing but thats getting nowhere and so this is gonna update Sunday evenings while i take more time to sort out my other fics, yeehaw 
> 
> also the shipping is p secondary to the plot so nothing revolves around it but there are several big moments and minor ones


End file.
